On February 26, 2019, the Deputy Minister of Digital Development, Telecommunications and Mass Communications of the Russian Federation Mikhail Mamonov visited RSCC’s booth at the 2019 Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. During the meeting with the Deputy General Director for Business Development of RSCC Ksenia Drozdova, the peculiarities of cooperation with foreign partners, the geography of presence and the activity of RSCC in the international market were discussed. On the same day, RSCC’s specialists held negotiations with representatives of Gilat and Hughes.

One of the main topics of the 2019 Mobile World Congress was the development of intelligent communication networks (Intelligent Connectivity). Panelists noted that telecom infrastructure is commoditized, limiting to transport functions for new digital applications and services for IoT, Big Data, artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented reality, robotics, etc.

By 2025, traffic in mobile applications is expected to grow by 400%, with revenues increasing only by 1%. Meanwhile, in the revenue structure of IoT networks only 5% is allocated for providing communication (connections). For telecom operators, the way out from this situation is to transform communication networks into an intelligent telecommunications platform to ensure seamless connection of all new services. The basis of such a platform is 5G.

The task of telecom operators is to establish strategic partnerships with software manufacturers and solutions to create ready-made global platforms that provide the implementation of new digital applications and services.

One of the highlights at the MWC2019 was the session devoted to the use of 5G networks in the industry. Experts agreed that the production process from a straight line turns into a looped, self-regulating process, which is constantly being improved due to robotization and use of artificial intelligence. It requires a high-speed network with a minimum delay, i.e. 5G. According to the representative of Vodafone, the main areas of 5G application in industry are: private networks (production sites with connection of each process participant, person or device), data processing at the border of the mobile network (augmented and virtual reality, video data processing and analysis, video identification, participation effect) and automation (transport solutions for self-driving cars).

In future mobile networks, cloud services will be closer to the consumer. Cloud computations will be performed at the network edge, which does not require access to the network core, reducing latency and without loading the main network. This will greatly simplify typical user equipment operating in the network, since the local cloud will take over the entire data processing or application load with minimal processing and transmission of information.

Microsoft’s CEO Satya Nadella in his speech at MWC2019 highlighted three technological trends that will change the computer industry: 1. Boundary computations, where a low-latency 5G network will make content processing as close as possible to the place of its formation — on user devices. 2. Artificial intelligence. 3. Augmented reality.

The session on new generation communication networks was first attended by 11–13 year old adolescents — representatives of the so-called generation Z, IT application developers — future 5G network users and creators of services and applications for a new mobile reality, who discussed their technology startups, emphasizing 5G benefits.